Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-06
WHOLE NO. 1926.

this kind would greatly benefit your man
| William Smidt.
| 8 and 4--Solitary cells, same as yours.
| only they don't have any furniture.
U. w. carter, Warden of the Wisconsin
| State Prison, writes:
! 1-Continement in ordinary cell sto,e
! floor, without bed or chair, with fine wire
screen over the door, called solitary: diet
bread and water.
2-Confinement in dark cell fer forty
eight hours; then take them before the
Court of this county and have them re-sen-
fenced from one to ten wears. Never had
but one case.
3-Too mild; there should be no bed
EOrdinary CELL screened to keep others
from passing in food or tobacco stone
floor, no furniture, low diet
5-Such man we would lock in the
insane department a. incorrigible. feed and
bathe regularly, but otherwise pay no al
tention TO him for thirty or sixty DAYS.
Generally they begin to beg. After another
month we may consent TO their going TO
| work again. Sometimes a second time is
| necessary. We aim to give man enough
the flrst time, where he is clearly malicious
| and vicious, so he will not want second
time. We do not give ourselves any trou-
| bic with men who refuse to work. First,
solitary" then dark cell, and finally
deadlock F." for thirty or sixty days. We
have enc most Of the time in deadlock
w. H. Hammer, Acting Commandant OF
the United States Military Prison at Fort
Leavenworth, Kan, says
confinement in dark or solitary cell
deprivation of yard privileges, and trial by
General Court-martial, resulting generally
| in imposing additional sentence.
! 2-Same as No. l.
3-Confinement in dark cell generally
| sub1ues refractory prisoners Those in use
| here are perfectly dark, ventilators only
supplying fresh air necessary, not to ininre
| health OF prisoners so confined, and double
| doors securing draught without light.
5-In the case quoted VIM. Smidt would
| be in a cell by himself. under the super
vision OF sentry, when not at work. If
he refused to go to work, which would be
| in the quarry gang he would be handcufied
behind cart and taken 10 the quarry
While there he could not go dangerously
near q sentry without being shot, and II
he attempted to escape he would be shot
+ NJ. Barr, Warden of the State Prison OF
Iowa, replies:
SOLITARY confinement and bread and
water.
2-Ofticers are expected to defend them
selves, even at the expense of the life of
the convict. Punishment would be solitary
confinement and fed on bread and water
hASO. HQbS up ny III higher
than the head.
81 see no objections TO it,
4-0Tdinary cell with blind door no
bed
5-Keep him in solitary confinement
and instruct his keepers to protect Them
selves and others at all hazards.
Thomas ]. Goree, Superintendent of the
Texas State Penitentiary, writes:
Either confinement in dark cell OF
punishment by strap, after we have failed
by talking to him.
2@Punishment by strap.
81 think the punishment mentioned
| very light one, and would have TO be pro-
| longed to make ii at all effective.
4-One Of the ordinary cells with the
front grating closely boarded, so that very
little or no light can be admitted.
5-We would punish by strap and con-
fine in dark cell. have never had ex-
perience with so determined a case as your
| man, but my idea would be to strap him
and put him to work with leg chain If
l apprehended that he would try to do any,
one bodily harm, would keep him chained
| in dark cell on bread and water until he
came to terms. We punish very little. but
| believe the strap the most effective of any
| mode. We never inhict exceeding thirty
nine lashes at one time.
Ben Z. McCulloch, Assistant Superin-
tendent of Huntsville Penitentiary, Texas,
writes:
begin with dark cell for one night
and increase ii until he relents, or use the
| strap il he seems incorrigible.
2-We would whip.
3-An excellent remedy fo- hard cases.
| 4-The usual cell with front boarded up
| TO exclude light.
| 81 have never encountered one so in
| corrigible as your man Smidt. think We
can iron any man So closely that he can
| not get loose, and / have never seen one
| that the strap or solitary confinement on
bread and water could not bring 10 terms.
E II. Taylor, Warden of the Kentucky
Penitentiary, at Frankfort, writes:
For first offense talk with the pris-
oner and try TO convince him that il is Ia
his interest IN every way TO go at cad and
do his work. After that, whipping with
strap, or hanging on board by wrists, or
both.
2-We have never been called upon 10
punish for this offense but have instruct
ed all my officers and guards If attacked 10
Shoot tb kill
3-In my judgment this is the miIdest
form OF punishment that can he iafiieted,
| and entirely inadequate and insufficient TO
conquer some of the stubborn. vicioas
tiaries.
4-Have none
5-Hard to answer, bat I think | would
iron him and order him to work. and if he
| attempted to carry out his threats to kill.
shoot him. If he merely sulked ard re-
fused to work, think few doses of our
board aad strap would convince him that
working was The easiest wav to get along.
E. G. Watkins, Warden of the House Of
Correction at Ionia, Mich, writes
1.-The Strap or solitary confinement
The strap first, then solitary ecnfne-
ment.
and 4-Our solitary cells are in all re-
spects like the others, except shutting out
the light.
81 should place handouts and shackeIs
on him that he could not remove, and
should place him in solitary confinement
to remain during his term.
Edward s. Wright, Warden OF the West
ern Penitentiary of Pennsylvania, re-
spends:
1-Confinement in isolated cells. wholly
or partially dark, as the prisoner may elect
by his behavior therein.
2-CoDfinement in isolated cells as above:
may also be returned TO Court for trial for
the offense,
3-From the above statement, the treat
ment in your prison would appear lighter
than In ours, as our isolated cells are far
from being as good ss the regular cells.
SOLITARY cells are 4x7, one iron door
and one wooden door on each end; can be
made entirely dark no furniture; built Of
brick, with iron floors.
81 would keep him in a separate or
solitary cell, with wire mesh over the doors.
Have his wants entirely looked after by
special officer Permit no officer to enter
his cell alone
A PNEUMATIC TUBE TO EUROPE
Colonel j. H. Pierce, of Saithineton.
who has been strdvino the usa of ,,ar